Backpumping panic

June 27, 2009

http://www.news-press.com/article/20090627/OPINION/906270341/

Re: Your editorial, "Don't let farms pollute Lake Okeechobee," June 23. There is no need to hit the panic button over the recent appellate court ruling on water transfers into Lake Okeechobee. This court ruling does not change Florida policy regarding water supply backpumping, it only says that South Florida Water Management District would not require federal industrial pollution discharge permit on top of already stringent state permits to transfer water.

Fear of backpumping is comparable to fear of a monster under the bed. It sounds scary but the fact is that backpumping is not a real pollution issue today. Water supply backpumping into Lake Okeechobee has only occurred three times in the last 25 years and not since 2002.

Water and nutrients from the farming area south of Lake Okeechobee have been less than 3 percent of the water and nutrient loading into Lake Okeechobee for decades. Data continually show that our farm water is far cleaner than water that routinely flows into the lake from the northern basins or water that flows into the Caloosahatchee River from suburban runoff.

Farmers, rural residents and coastal residents alike will be better served by putting the focus where it belongs on solving the problems rather than pointing fingers.

CARL PERRY
Moore Haven